1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to manually actuated mechanical devices having a plurality of moving parts and the method of moving the moving parts, and refers more specifically to toy dinosaur structure having a head with a movable lower jaw, legs including suction cup foot and ankle portions, and a tail, all controlled from a hand held cable control through a plurality of selectively operable control cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, manually actuated structures such as model airplanes, wall crawling toys and the like have been known which have included control cables for actuating the movable portions thereof through a hand control and/or suction cup holding devices.
Such prior devices as are known have not included control cables extending through an axially rigid sheath which is transversely flexible, located between the devices and a hand control therefor, by which the control cables may be selectively tensioned and/or relaxed.
Thus, model airplane control has usually been accomplished by means of flexible line or cables which are maintained in tension during operation of a model airplane. Such control lines normally operate by pivotal movement of a centrally pivoted lever having cables connected to each end thereof by which one cable is caused to appear lengthened and the other cable appear to be shortened at the model airplane. Such controls are limited in application, in the number of cables which a single individual can effectively control without overly complex controls, and generally restrict the movement of the model airplane to a circle with the operator of the model airplane in the center of the circle.
Wall climbing and walking toys of the past utilizing suction cup devices for attachment to smooth surfaces have often not provided means for specific breaking of the vacuum in the suction cups prior to movement of the parts of the devices to which the suction cups are secured. Such devices of the past have seldom provided specifically controlled multiple movements of a single part associated with the suction cup.
Tail movement or wagging structure of the past wherein an articulated tail is moved horizontally selectively over center are unknown. In particular, tails of toy animals which are constructed of a plurality of portions pivotally connected together for horizontal movement and which are biased into a straight line by a coil spring extending therethrough with weighted ends whereby movement of the tails past a straight position is accomplished through momentum of the weights and action of the coil springs on actuation of the tails, are not believed to be found in the prior art.